6 May 2013 – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced the establishment of a private sector infrastructure sustainability award program entitled Infrastructure 360° Awards. The program will recognize outstanding sustainability practices in infrastructure investments in Latin America and the Caribbean, with emphasis on climate and the environment, social impact and best practices in governance and innovation.

The awards will also help to raise awareness about sustainability practices in the design and development of infrastructure projects and will facilitate research and the identification of sustainability performance indicators.

Participants can submit their infrastructure projects using a self-assessment tool developed by the Zofnass Program for Infrastructure Sustainability at Harvard Graduate School of Design. Among the projects submitted, the twelve highest ranking projects will be reviewed in further detail as case studies by the Harvard Zofnass Program. The winners of the Awards will be selected by a jury composed of internationally recognized experts in infrastructure, environment and competitiveness.

Established in 1959, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is a source of multilateral financing for sustainable economic, social and institutional development programs and projects throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. More information about the IDB is at www.iadb.org. For more about IDB projects, visit http://www.iadb.org/en/projects/projects,1229.html.